Problem is, The Maven is an ADD knitter — no tolerance for patterns that require a lot of time, fussiness or mental energy. It's not that she doesn't appreciate such projects. It's that they never get done. And frankly, we've got a lot of work to do before June, when baby Lainsbury makes his debut.
Thank God for Jil Eaton. The Portland, Maine-based knitwear designer can relate. She's known for her simple yet elegant children's patterns, which were inspired by knitting for her own son. They're whimsical, they look great, and you don't need a Ph.D. in fiber arts to understand them. Even better? Her bold use of color and texture is a creative departure from most of the cutesy stuff out there.
We own most of her books — her new "Pipsqueak Knits" is on our must-have list — and we're especially fond of Eaton's individual Minnowknits patterns (see the adorable "Hankie Pankie Blankie, pictured above). Even better? She recently introduced her own yarn line through Classic Elite, which means no more hunting for the perfect color.
If you haven't tried Eaton's patterns yet, get to your local knitting shop ASAP, or visit her Web site, www.minnowknits.com.
And now, we're off to start a sweater. With any luck, it will be finished by June.
P.S.: Moms, grandmas, aunties and other knitters: Who are some of your favorite baby knitwear designers?
3 comments:
Don't forget you can borrow many knitting books from libraries in Maine. We have all of Eaton's here at the Maine State Library and a whole lot more.
Peggy
You can make your knitting all the sweeter by adding great cds from Knitting Out Loud - heartwarming, hilarious, & historical - these audio books have it all!
Great suggestions! Thanks!
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